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Guidelines
 

Diagnosis and Management of Immunodeficiencies in Adults by Allergologists
 

JM García,1 P Gamboa,2 A de la Calle,3 MD Hernández,4 MT Caballero,5 on behalf of the Committee of Immunology of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC) (BE García, M Labrador, C Lahoz, N Longo Areso, M López Hoyos, J Martínez Quesada, L Mayorga, FJ Monteseirin, ML Sanz)

1Department of Pediatric Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Hospital de Cruces, Baracaldo-Vizcaya, Spain
2Department of Allergology, Hospital de Basurto, Bilbao, Spain
3Department of Allergology, Hospital Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain
4Department of Allergology, Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
5Department of Allergology, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2010; Vol. 20(3): 185-194
 

 Abstract


Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are genetic diseases that cause alterations in the immune response and occur with an increased rate of infection, allergy, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. They affect adults and children, and the diagnostic delay, morbidity, effect on quality of life, and socioeconomic impact are important. Therapy (γ-globulin substitution in most cases) is highly effective. We examine adult PIDs and their clinical presentation and provide a sequential and directed framework for their diagnosis. Finally, we present a brief review of the most important adult PIDs, common variable immunodeficiency, including diagnosis, pathogenesis, clinical signs, and disease
management.

Key words: Immunologic deficiency syndromes. Common variable immunodeficiency. Adult. Allergologist.